The atmosphere inside the national training center was thick with the scent of floor wax, athletic rubber, and the electric hum of high-tension energy. The echoes of slamming volleyballs and the sharp, rhythmic squeak of sneakers against the polished hardwood created a symphony of discipline and power. For Ji-hye, this court had always been her sanctuary, a place where the complexities of the world were reduced to a single, leather ball and the trajectory of a perfect spike.
But lately, the sanctuary had felt smaller. The air felt heavier, not with humidity, but with the weight of a thousand eyes.
